


Shards of Darkness and Light

by UnfadingLight



Series: Warriors of Light and Darkness [1]
Category: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy I
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Post-Canon, Slow Burn, divergent canon, villain redemption arc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2019-03-29 03:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13918755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnfadingLight/pseuds/UnfadingLight
Summary: A warrior with the power to control light and a knight with a dark, bloodstained past. Two unlikely allies who will band together in order to save their world. But when secrets are revealed and newly-forged bonds are tested, will they remain on the same side?The fate of the world hangs in the balance...(Sequel to the first Final Fantasy game)





	1. A Fated Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Divergent canon in that the Warrior of Light remembers his name, but not the events of Dissidia. Also divergent in that the Light Warriors remember their journey to defeat Chaos.

There is a legend held dearly by the people of this world - a legend about four Warriors of Light who saved the world from darkness. There was a thief from Pravoka and twin mages from Crescent Lake, but there was also a swordsman - a young man who controlled the forces of light - who couldn't recall his homeland. The swordsman was very powerful, but also capable of great mercy. After the Warriors defeated Chaos, god of discord, they were given the opportunity to voice a wish. The thief wished for riches, and the mages wished for the most powerful spells. However, the swordsman, who felt sorry for a rogue knight they had slain on their journey, wished for the knight to return to life, but with no memory of the events that led him into darkness. Due to his wish going against the will of his comrades, he was forced to give up the Armor of Light, which he had earned through countless battles. In addition, some of his powers were sealed until further notice. That didn't deter him, though - he still went through with it. Angered by the swordsman's mercy towards an enemy, the thief and the mages left him behind. Nobody knows what became of the Warriors of Light, or of the knight - time erased those details.

What nobody knows, though, is how true this "legend" really was, and how relevant it would soon be...

***

Seth Hirschall was a young man with no memory past the last few years of his life. He had been traveling for half a year now, looking for a place to call home after the long journey he had been on - a journey through time with three others to defeat the evil god Chaos. 

Seth had been deserted by his three allies after the battle, and had been forced to find his own way to the present time. Now, as he traveled from place to place, he realized that the battle between the four warriors and Chaos was nothing but a legend now. He didn't really mind. He didn't want anyone to know that he was the light-wielding warrior who had been left behind by his “friends”.

As Seth headed for the castle town of Cornelia, many memories of his journey came up in his mind - Cornelia was the first town he could ever recall traveling to. Back then, he only had his sword, the clothes on his back, and a crystal, which he still carried with him. He wondered how things were going with the people of this town, despite the fact that they wouldn't remember him like he remembered them. Seth decided to go check on the town to see if everything was as he remembered.

Upon entering the town, though, he saw a group of knights fighting a horde of demonic creatures. The knights were clearly outmatched - the only one still fighting was an inhumanly tall man with silver hair, dark armor, and a purple cape. Worried for the knights, Seth decided to intervene. As he approached, the knight in dark armor turned to face him. Seth was stunned to see that the man's eyes were a golden-yellow in color.

“You need to stay back! This is no place for civilians!” the knight exclaimed.

Seth shook his head. “I am not a civilian - I know how to fight. Please, allow me to assist!”

“All right, but please, be careful!” the golden-eyed man replied.

Seth charged into the middle of the pack of demons, concentrating light into his sword and cutting the creatures down one by one. As the last one fell, a loud cheer rose from the knights.

The knight in dark armor walked over to Seth, a warm smile on his face. “You saved our town... Thank you, traveler.”

“ I am glad to have been able to help,” Seth stated. 

“You're really strong for someone so young. What is your name?”

“I am Seth Hirschall... I am just a traveling swordsman - nothing special.”

“You need to give yourself some credit. Anyway, I am Garland Levitan, general of the Knights of Cornelia.”

Garland was a name Seth had heard before. The knight he had battled on his journey with the other Warriors of Light was also named Garland. He wondered if this was the same man, but had little time to ponder it. Seth was soon startled out of his thoughts by the sound of Garland's voice.

“Hey Seth, is something wrong?”

“N-no, Sir Levitan,” Seth replied shakily.

Garland made a face. “Don't call me ‘sir’. That's way too formal for my tastes. Just call me Garland.”

Seth averted his gaze, focusing his intense blue eyes on a clump of grass at his feet. Things were silent for a while, then Garland spoke once more.

“You said you're a traveler... Do you have a place to stay?”

Seth looked back up. “I was thinking of staying at the inn for the night.”

“Nah, don't waste your Gil,” Garland laughed. “I have a better plan. You'd be an excellent addition to Cornelia's army. The barracks are comfy enough, and most of the other knights are good people. We could use someone like you.”

“But Garland... I have no formal training.”

“Don't worry about that. You obviously don't need combat training, and I can teach you the social aspects of being a knight. Come with me - I'll take you to the castle and ask the king about letting you become a knight. I'm sure he'll say yes.”

Seth nodded. “Thank you... I am in your debt.”

***

Upon entering the castle, Seth and Garland came to some stairs. Seth remembered the layout of the castle well - these stairs led up to the king's throne room.

“Wait down here, Seth,” Garland said. “I'll ask the king for permission to bring you in.”

Seth sat on a nearby chair and took his crystal out of his satchel. It was the same color blue as his eyes, and it shone with a brilliant light. He began polishing it as he waited for Garland to return.

Eventually, Garland descended the stairs with a grin on his face. “Hey Seth, King Bryant wants to see you...”

Garland's eyes suddenly focused on Seth's crystal. “Where did you get that?” he inquired.

“I do not remember...” Seth replied. “I have had it as long as my memory goes back.”

“What do you mean?”

“My memory only goes back about two years... Everything before then is a blank...”

“Ah... You too, Seth?” Garland asked, sounding sad.

“Me too...? You mean that you have no memory also?”

“You're correct, although you remember more than I do. My memory only goes back about six months.”

“My apologies...”

“Don't worry about it. It's strange, though... Two warriors with no memory... I guess we might be kindred spirits. Maybe we'll become friends!” Garland smiled.

“Friends...” Seth mused. “That would be nice.”

“Anyway, we don't want to keep King Bryant waiting. Come on, let's go!”

***

Seth followed Garland up the stairs and into the throne room. King Bryant sat in his throne beside his wife, Queen Jayne, and beside them stood the emerald-haired Princess Sarah. 

Garland knelt before the monarchs, and Seth mirrored the gesture.

“You may rise, Sir Levitan,” King Bryant called. “You may stand as well, traveler.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Garland replied.

“Traveler, your name is Seth, is it not?”

Seth nodded. “You are correct, Your Majesty.”

“Sir Levitan has told me all about your skill on the battlefield. He also stated that you seem to be able to control light. Is that true?”

“Yes,” Seth answered.

“A power akin to that of the leader of the legendary Warriors of Light... Are you perhaps his descendant?”

“I...do not know,” Seth stated. He hated lying to Bryant, but felt that the monarch wouldn't believe him even if he _did_ tell the truth.

“He has no memory past a few years,” Garland said.

“Very mysterious indeed. But Sir Levitan has great faith in your abilities. I will grant his request and add you to the roster of knights.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Garland.”

“You're welcome. ...Now, Sir Levitan, please take Sir Hirschall to the barracks and show him around.”

Garland bowed. “As you wish.” He then rose and said, “Let's go, Seth.”

Seth nodded and followed Garland outside, not knowing how this meeting would affect not only his life, but the fate of the world...


	2. Acceptance

It had been a few days since Garland had introduced Seth to the other knights. Seth tried very hard to be accepted - something he had never truly felt. But no matter how hard he tried, he found it hard to talk to the other knights. He felt as if he was deceiving them - especially Garland - by not telling them the little bit of his past that he knew, and those fears seeped into his every interaction with them. Garland seemed very understanding of Seth's anxiety (despite not knowing its true source), but the other knights weren't so accepting...

Seth sat alone in one of the common rooms of the barracks, thinking about something he had just realized. When he had helped Garland and the knights defeat the fiends attacking Cornelia, Garland had used a shape-shifting weapon, like the rogue knight of the past. Seth hadn't paid it much thought at first, but now, it clicked - this _was_ the same Garland that he once knew. 

In the midst of his realization, he was approached by a group of Cornelian knights. He looked up at them, about to greet them, but stopped when he saw the condescending looks on their faces.

"Oh, it's Seth, Garland's little favorite," sneered the leader as the other knights with him chuckled.

Seth looked down, not saying a word. He didn't want to get into a conflict with these guys, but he wondered why it was that they targeted him like this.

"Can't you talk? Or are you only good for fighting demons?" the leader laughed.

"Maybe _he's_ the cause of all of Cornelia's troubles. I mean, really. He shows up right after the demon hordes start appearing, and he conveniently has the ability to slay them almost instantly. Maybe he's summoning them to make himself look like a hero," another knight added.

"And the whole 'I-have-no-memory' deal is just a sympathy ploy that he used to ensnare the royal family and our general," a third chimed in.

Seth didn't know how to respond. Before he could think of anything, though, Garland rushed into the room, looking rather upset.

"Dammit Victor, I should've known!" he yelled.

The leader of the knights that were tormenting Seth suddenly looked a lot less cocky. "S-Sir Levitan! How are you?" he stammered.

Garland shook his fist. "Don't give me that crap! I knew Seth was upset for some reason!"

"Wh-what about Seth?"

Garland was furious now. "Don't play dumb with me! I knew someone was bothering him, but he wouldn't give me any names! Now I know who's harassing him!"

"What makes you think it was ME?" Victor huffed indignantly.

"I had a little help from an undercover knight. This knight told me what you and your little band of jerks were doing to Seth. You're lucky you guys never physically harmed him, or else I'd beat your asses! Now get outta here - you're all dismissed! Permanently! I mean it!"

"Why do you care about him so much? You just met him!" one of Victor's friends cried.

"He's different than most people. In that way, he and I are alike. Now... No more talk. GET...OUT." To further illustrate his frustration, Garland sternly pointed at the door, a gesture which Seth's tormentors quickly followed.

Once they left, Garland sat across from Seth and said, "Hey, you all right?"

Seth sighed. "I will be fine... I have dealt with this sort of thing for as long as I can remember."

"That doesn't make it right, though..."

"Are you sure you have to dismiss them...?" Seth asked. "I do not wish to be the cause of people losing their jobs..."

"Seth... Remember the knight's oath?"

Seth nodded and began to recite the oath. "A knight of Cornelia must defend those who cannot defend themselves. A knight of Cornelia must see past differences and treat everyone fairly. A knight of Cornelia..."

"That's good enough. You heard what you just said, right? That a knight of Cornelia must treat everyone fairly? ...Victor and his buddies violated a basic rule of knighthood, so they deserve the punishment I handed them."

"But they were some of your strongest knights..."

Garland shook his head. "You are more of a knight than any of them will ever be. You're strong, but you don't let that get to your head. The only flaw I've noticed in you so far is that you don't stick up for yourself. You need to realize that you're just as deserving of compassion as anyone else would be."

Seth felt strange. Nobody had ever told him that before. Maybe he and Garland _could_ be friends. Before he could gather up the courage to thank the other man, a messenger entered the room.

"Sir Levitan! Sir Hirschall! The king asked me to get you."

"All right, Seth! Maybe you're going on your first big assignment," Garland said. "Come on!"

***

As Seth and Garland entered the throne room, King Bryant beckoned them closer to the throne. He then handed Garland an envelope with nothing written on it.

"What is this?" Garland asked.

"It's a request," Bryant stated. "Please read it."

Garland opened the envelope and read the request aloud:

"To King Bryant and his knights:  
I am writing to let you know of something odd that I discovered on my travels to and from Cornelia. When I passed up the town of Melmond, I noticed that the monsters in the area were avoiding the nearby caverns, where they normally live. Being a scientist, I tried to lure the monsters back into their home to see what happened. They would not enter the caverns, no matter what, so I went in to see what was wrong.  
At the end of the maze of tunnels, there was what appeared to be a crystal, but instead of light, it was shrouded in darkness. It gave off a rather ominous feeling... I worry that it is the reason why the monsters are behaving erratically in this area. In addition, there was a large beast guarding the crystal. It was aggressive and would not allow me to approach the crystal.  
As the ruler of kingdom with the most knowledge about the legendary Crystals of Light, I beseech you - please send your strongest knights to see what is going on and - if possible - to remedy the issue.  
Sincerely, Cid." 

"A crystal of darkness... That sounds very odd," Garland mused after he finished reading. "Is that even possible?"

"I believe it could be," Seth said. "My own crystal is growing duller as monster activity increases. I am unsure if those occurrences are connected with each other or with the dark crystal, but I cannot help but feel uneasy..."

"I agree with Sir Hirschall," Bryant stated firmly. "There are prophecies about dark crystals, but I forget what they said. I'll have the castle's scholars look into this. For now, though, the two of you are the only knights I can rely on for this job. Sir Levitan's raw strength and Sir Hirschall's ability to control light... I believe that the combination of your abilities is the most likely to prove successful."

Seth placed his right hand over his heart as if giving an oath. "Thank you for having faith in us, Your Majesty. We will do our best to see this through."

"Yeah! We'll report back with our findings," Garland added.

The king dismissed them, and they left to go to town to gather their supplies. But there was one thing Seth couldn't get off his mind - how come the name Cid seemed so familiar to him?


	3. The Fight Against Darkness Begins

Seth and Garland had bought everything they needed - healing salves, tents, food, and other supplies. They decided to sail for the land by the caverns near Melmond as soon as possible in order to investigate the dark crystal. On the way, as they were getting off of the boat, Garland suggested that they go to the town first so that they could see if the townspeople knew anything.

The two walked into town and immediately, a woman rushed up to them and asked, "Are you two knights of Cornelia?"

"Yes, we are," Seth replied. "We were curious to know if anyone here knows about what's happening at the caverns."

"Ahh, yes. Cid told me to expect some Cornelian knights," the woman stated. 

That name again... Seth wondered why the name sounded so familiar.

Garland tapped the younger's shoulder, bringing Seth back to the situation in front of him. "Seth, she says she knows something."

"Oh, my apologies. Please tell me again," Seth said, feeling ashamed that he had lost his concentration.

"About the beast in the caverns that Cid mentioned... I suspect that it's there to guard that crystal. My son tried to defeat it, but was injured."

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that," Garland said sadly. "We will do our best to defeat the fiend so that no other civilians are injured. Right, Seth?"

"Yes. I promise to do all I can to help this town," Seth added.

"Thank you!" the woman shouted gleefully. "Please come back and tell me once you're done."

Garland thanked her for the information, and then he and Seth left the town to head to the caverns.

***

Once they reached the caverns in question, Seth began to get a dull headache. He knew the darkness here was strong - that was most likely why he felt the way he was feeling.

"Garland... We need to remain vigilant. The darkness here... It is stronger than anything I have encountered in a long time."

Garland looked surprised. "You can sense that sort of thing? How?"

"Strong darkness seems to inflict some degree of pain on me..."

"Are you gonna be all right?" Garland asked, obviously concerned.

Seth nodded. "This is not the worst darkness I have felt. But... Thank you for caring."

"Any time," the other replied, smiling.

The two walked into the caverns and immediately noticed the eerie quietness - there weren't any monsters, bats, or bugs around... Just the two of them. 

"How are we supposed to know where to go?" Garland grumbled as they came to a split in their path.

"I can lead the way," Seth stated. "I have been here before... It has been a year and a half now, but I am sure I will be able to remember how to get to the end."

"All right, thanks," Garland said with a sigh of relief. "So, which way here?"

"That way. Let us make haste."

"Got it!"

***

Once they got to the end of the maze-like caverns, they happened across a large beast in front of a large crystal teeming with dark energy. Garland drew closer, as if hoping to slay the creature in its slumber, but it seemed to sense his approach. It got up immediately, roaring angrily. Garland stepped back immediately, drawing his weapon. Threatened, the beast attacked.

Seth quickly put his shield between himself and the fanged fiend, drawing his blade with his other hand. While trying to repel the attack, he was assisted by Garland, who sent a strong fire-based spell into the creature's back. The beast roared in pain and turned to swipe at Garland, sending him staggering back.

"Garland!" Seth cried out, scared for the other man's life. He then decided that the best thing to do would be to use a spell of his own.

Seth prayed for strength as he started charging his spell. He then traced a rune in the air that sent a burst of light out, stunning the monster for a few moments. 

"I'll finish it!" called Garland, plunging his blade into the fiend's back. It roared weakly, and then fell to the ground and disappeared in a flash of light.

"Garland, are you all right?" Seth asked.

The other nodded. "Yeah. It's just a scratch..."

Seth looked and saw that it wasn't 'just a scratch' - Garland had been cut pretty deep.

"Let me heal that..." Seth said, holding his hands over Garland's wounded side. "Cura!" he called, healing it most of the way.

"You're full of surprises. You know that, Seth?"

"I guess so. But we need to bandage that to make sure it heals the rest of the way."

"Heh, thanks," Garland laughed.

Seth shook his head. "I was worried I would lose you. I cannot afford to lose the only person I can remember who has treated me with such kindness..."

Garland grinned. "That's what friends are for, Seth!"

"I am...very glad to hear you say that."

"Good," Garland replied. "By the way... before we leave, we should probably destroy that crystal. I'm afraid it might spawn another beast if left alone."

Seth walked over to the crystal and looked it over. "You are stronger than I am... I think you would have a better chance of breaking it."

Garland swung his weapon at the crystal, but it had no effect. "I think you should try... Light dispels darkness, after all."

"I had never thought of that..." Seth admitted. He then struck the crystal as hard as he could, shattering it into small shards. 

"Told you so," Garland said jokingly.

"Yes, you did... Anyway... We should go back to Melmond and inform the people that they should be safe for now."

"I agree. Let's go."


	4. Seth's Concerns

The two made their way back through the caverns, glad that they were able to help the people of Melmond. On their way, they noticed that the monsters and other life from the caverns were returning to their homes. Seth was relieved to see this - he had felt sorry for the creatures. He could sort of identify with feeling out of place, not knowing where his own home was.

Once they reached the town, the woman from before ran up to them, looking quite excited.

"Oh, it's our saviors from Cornelia! Thank Cosmos you two are all right!" she exclaimed.

Garland nodded. "Yes, we're fine. The dark crystal won't be causing any more trouble for you."

"Thank you so much, sirs!" the woman said, smiling. "Now, for your reward..."

"N-no, we do not need any reward..." Seth replied. "Being thanked is good enough... Right, Garland?"

"Yeah! We're just glad to help."

"You two are amazing. Thank you for saving our town. Be sure to tell the king of Cornelia how well you did."

Flustered by all of this praise, Seth nervously scratched at the back of his head. It was nice to be thanked, but he wasn't quite used to it. After a while, he was able to think of what to say...

"We will be sure to do so... Thank you, and farewell."

Seth and Garland waved goodbye and headed off to catch the next ship to Cornelia.

***

It had been a few minutes since they had headed out to sea, and Seth stood towards the fore of the ship, thinking to himself. He was worried - his crystal was still growing ever duller, despite the destruction of the dark crystal. As he looked out over the sea, someone tapped on his shoulder.

"Ah!" he cried out, startled by the sudden touch. When he saw that it was Garland who had tapped on his shoulder, he relaxed slightly.

"Sorry for startling you," Garland said. "I was just wondering what it was you were thinking about. You seem...bothered by something."

"I am worried about the state of this world," replied Seth. "You see, I... I know a lot about the legends of the Warriors of Light. The dark crystal we destroyed was not always in those caverns. The Warriors of Light had traveled there to defeat one of the elemental fiends, and the crystal at that time was one of light. There were three other crystals like this one in the world... I am worried that - perhaps - those have gone dark, too."

"A legitimate worry, considering what you know. But you seem to know a lot more about the Warriors of Light than Cornelia's historians and scholars do... Plus, you have a crystal... And you can control light... Are you sure that you weren't one of them?"

Seth was shocked by what Garland had just said. Had he been found out?

"Haha, just kidding," Garland laughed. "It's impossible to travel through time, after all. You should've seen the look on your face, though... Hahaha!"

"I am not strong enough to be one of the Warriors of Light," Seth replied. It was somewhat true, since some of his abilities still remained sealed.

Garland made a face at Seth. "What did I tell you about putting yourself down like that? You're probably just as strong as they were."

"My apologies... I never meant to upset you," Seth stated, looking away.

"Nah, it's fine. Just try not to be so hard on yourself. It makes me upset when you're sad."

"Thank you for caring... It means a lot to me."

"Anytime, Seth. Now, I'm going to go back into the ship's cabin. Come by if you want to talk."

As Garland left, Seth realized that he now had another set of worries. He didn't want anyone to know of his past, especially Garland. He felt that if Garland were to find out, their forming bond would be ruined. Seth didn't want to lose yet another potential friend. He decided that he would have to be more careful about what he said. 

As Seth continued to look out towards the ocean, his thoughts drifted towards the past - he had not only wished for Garland to be brought back, but he had tried to spare the knight's life, as well. He remembered trying to appeal to Garland's honor as a knight when they first met. Before he could make any progress, Luke, the black mage in the group, struck the man down. Luke and his twin sister, white mage Lyra, had gotten very upset with Seth for this, and hadn't spoken to him for several days after that battle. It had taken the intervention of the young thief James to get the group to work together again. Now, as Seth looked back on this, he felt rather sad. He sighed and sat down, trying to banish all thoughts of the past from his head. Luckily, before he could get too distressed, Cornelia came into view.

"Land sighted!" shouted the ship's captain. "All for Cornelia, get ready to disembark!"

Garland walked over to where Seth was sitting and smiled. "Let's go, Seth. We need to report to King Bryant."

Seth nodded, and, as the boat made its landing, stood. A ramp was brought to the side of the boat, and the passengers began getting off. Seth and Garland followed everyone else off of the boat, and then headed down the path towards Castle Cornelia.


	5. Prophecy

Upon arriving in Cornelia, Garland and Seth were stopped by a group of men, who they immediately recognized as Victor and his friends.

"What the hell do you guys want?" Garland asked. "I'm not taking you back, you know."

Seth kept his eyes on the ground, not saying a word. He had a feeling that these men were not there to be re-knighted, but to exact their revenge.

"We're not here for that, Garland," stated Victor. "We're just here to remind Seth that we know where his room is in the barracks, and to tell him to keep a close eye on his things, or they might just...disappear."

Garland was not amused. He shook his head and said, "You're all so immature...not to mention cowardly."

"What? We're not cowards! Don't you remember the missions we've been on?" asked one of the other men.

"Only a coward picks on someone who they know won't fight back. You're lucky that Seth is able to restrain himself, 'cause I would've kicked all of your sorry asses by now. Now go away - we have something important to do! Go on... Get moving!" Garland said, his voice gradually getting louder as he continued to speak.

The men left, realizing that they had chosen a bad time to mess with Seth. 

"You know, Seth, you really need to say something to those goons," said Garland. "They'll keep this up if you don't."

Seth looked up at the other man. "My apologies... I...just have no idea what to say or do. I was never any good at this sort of thing."

"Don't worry. I'll help. But one thing is bothering me... They basically threatened to steal your belongings... I don't like the sound of that. Maybe you should move into the guest room at my place for now."

"That is kind of you, but I do not wish to be an inconvenience..." Seth said softly.

Garland smiled. "Don't you worry. It's not a bother. We're friends, and I want to help you."

"Thank you, Garland... I owe you so much."

"No you don't. Anyway, let's go give our report to the king."

***

When the two entered the throne room, King Bryant looked at them excitedly. "Greetings, Sir Levitan and Sir Hirschall! How did things go?"

"It appears that the dark crystal was what was driving the monsters away," reported Seth. "But there was some sort of fiendish beast guarding the dark crystal."

"We defeated it, though," Garland added. "The strange thing is...only Seth could break the dark crystal. I tried, but to no avail."

"I see," replied Bryant. "That reminds me... I had my scholars look into the prophecies about dark crystals, and they found something interesting. I wrote it down on this paper for the two of you to read."

Seth took the piece of paper and started to read it.

_"When the world faces a great darkness, it will take the efforts of two unlikely allies in order to restore light to the world._

_One born of light - the bearer of a crystal..._

_One born of darkness - the bringer of strength..._

_Only these two can ensure that the crystals of darkness do not destroy the world."_

"I believe that the first of the two people mentioned is Sir Hirschall," Bryant stated. "His abilities and the fact that he carries a crystal... That can't just be a coincidence."

"But who's the other one?" asked Garland.

Seth believed that he knew. He felt that the other was Garland - the prophecy seemed to refer to his dark past and immense strength. Seth knew he couldn't say anything, though - that would cause him to give away his true identity, and would likely cause a rift between him and Garland. He kept quiet, waiting for what seemed like forever for Bryant to respond.

Finally, Bryant said, "I'm unsure. But for now, you and Sir Hirschall should continue working together until we find out."

Garland nodded in understanding.

"Now, Sir Levitan, Sir Hirschall... You two must be tired from your journey. You should rest," said Bryant.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Seth said. "Have a good evening."

Garland and Seth left the throne room to move Seth's things into Garland's guest room with the hope that Victor and company wouldn't take any of them.  
***

Once they finished moving Seth's possessions into place, Garland and Seth sat down in the living room. Seth looked over at the other knight, who seemed to be thinking about something.

"What is on your mind, Garland?" he asked.

"Well, I got a weird piece of mail today. It was addressed to me, but there was no information on the one who sent it. When I opened it, though, I noticed that it was another request from that Cid guy."

Seth immediately sat up straight, surprised at hearing that name yet again. "You know, Garland... I think I may have heard the name Cid somewhere, but I cannot remember where..."

"Maybe he might be the key to your lost memories," Garland suggested. "But for your sake, I wish he wouldn't stay hidden. I know how bothersome it can be to have no memory."

Seth noticed that Garland seemed a bit sad as he said that last sentence. He decided to distract Garland from those feelings by changing the subject.

"So, what did Cid have to ask?"

"He basically said there's another dark crystal somewhere in a volcano near Crescent Lake. Do you know the place?"

"Yes, I do. It is called Mount Gulg. I have been there on my travels," Seth stated.

"You've been all over, haven't you?" Garland replied, smiling. "Well, let's ask King Bryant about it tomorrow. For now, we should take a break."

"Good idea. When the time comes, I hope that we are able to dispel the darkness once more. For now, though, it should be fine to rest."

It had become dark by this time, so the two wished each other good night and went into their rooms. Something was keeping Seth up, though... If he had lost his memory, would meeting Cid give him answers? And most of all... Did he even want to remember? He decided that this was not the time to think of such things, and was finally able to go to sleep.

***

Seth awoke right as dawn began to break. Although it was far too early for most people to wake up, Seth was accustomed to waking up at that time - he had done so for as long as he could remember. He wandered around the house for a bit to see if Garland had woken up yet. Upon realizing that the general was still sleeping, Seth plopped himself down in a chair in the living room. He sat for a while, thinking about the upcoming adventure to Mount Gulg - what supplies to bring, how to deal with the heat, and what to do if the dark crystal was guarded by a fiend. Seth's thoughts drifted to when he and the other Warriors of Light went there to defeat the serpentine creature known as Marilith. That had been a tough battle, won by a combination of Seth's swordplay and black mage Luke's Blizzard spells. Before Seth could get too engrossed in his memories, he heard a door open. He turned to face the sound and saw Garland emerging from his room, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He greeted the other man, who smiled slightly in reply.

"Good morning, Seth," Garland said, trying not to yawn as he sat across from the younger. "Do you always get up so early?"

"Yes," Seth replied. "I do not know why, but I have always done this."

"That seems like something you'd do. You're always so diligent. So, anyway, do you have a plan?"

"We should get breakfast, and then go to the castle and ask King Bryant about Mount Gulg."

"Ah, yes!" Garland exclaimed. "Today, the inn will be serving really good eggs and bacon, and the meal is free for knights! Let's get us some food!"

Garland practically jumped out of his chair, seemingly energized by the thought of a good breakfast. Seth, although amused, couldn't properly express his feelings - he couldn't remember ever smiling at anything, much less laughing at something. He was slightly upset by his inability to express his amusement, but buried those emotions and followed Garland out of the house to the inn.


	6. Past Encounters

Seth and Garland had been sitting in the dining area of the inn for a while now. Garland was eating his third plate of eggs and bacon, while Seth had only finished one. They hadn't spoke much throughout all of this - Seth felt that he wasn't all that good at making conversation. But after Garland finished his food, he turned his attention to Seth.

"Hey, Seth... I was thinking about yesterday, and I was wondering... Why do you let Victor and his buddies talk to you like that? Surely you know that you deserve better... You should be more confident in yourself."

"I was, at one time..." Seth replied. "Even the worst of people did not seem to be able to lower my morale."

Garland tilted his head, confused. "Then what happened?"

Seth had to think about how to respond - his loss of confidence was directly related to Garland's past. Finally, he figured out how to relate the story without arousing Garland's suspicions...

"It was about two years ago, and is among my first memories... I once traveled with three others in order to deal with massive outbreaks of fiends. Our strengths worked well together, but...we did not. On one occasion, we were met and attacked by a man with immense anger in his heart. I could tell that he was hurting, but my traveling companions did not see this... I attempted to reason with him, but as I was speaking, one of my companions - a mage - struck him down. At this time, I did not know any healing spells, and the others would not help, so I was forced to leave him for dead. The others stayed upset with me for a very long time..."

"You were only doing what you thought was right..." Garland said, obviously upset.

"That was not the end of this. Over a year later, we found out that he had survived, and that he was coming after us again. We met him at a place of his choice, and again, I tried to talk him out of it. This time, though, there was no way that he would ever listen to me - he would not risk being struck down while off-guard. Instead, he attacked one of the others, and I had to... I had to--" Seth shook his head and averted his eyes, unable to finish the sentence.

Garland sat in silence for a while, stunned by Seth's story, and by the younger's anguish at the end. "It must have been hard...but at the same time, you were protecting your allies..."

"The worst thing about it was that - even though I was eventually able to defeat him - the damage had already been done. The three that I had traveled with stated that they would never forgive me for trying to reason with the enemy, and then left me alone..."

"That's screwed up," Garland grumbled. "I can kinda understand them being a bit upset, but to not forgive you and abandon you after you saved their hides? I'm sorry that I referred to them as your allies. It was too good of a term for them, and an insult to you."

Seth looked back up, but couldn't bring himself to speak.

"Listen, Seth," continued Garland. "I'll help you regain your confidence. You've been hurt by too many people, and I wish to change that."

"Th-thank you... I am glad... Glad that we met."

The general smiled. "Yeah, I am too."

Once more, things were silent for a few moments, and then Garland looked out the window.

"Damn, it's almost noon already? C'mon, Seth! We have to go speak to the king about Mount Gulg!"

With that, the two rushed out of the inn and headed for Castle Cornelia.

***

As the two entered the throne room, King Bryant was already there, waiting.

"Were you expecting us, Your Majesty?" Garland asked.

Bryant nodded. "Yes. I have received a note telling me to expect you. I assume it's from Cid."

At the mention of that name, Garland looked over at Seth, who looked startled, but didn't say anything in response.

"Is something the matter, Sir Hirschall?" asked the monarch.

"It is nothing to worry about..." Seth replied. "The name Cid is familiar to me, but we are here to ask you something else."

"We need to go to Mount Gulg," Garland clarified. "Apparently, there's another dark crystal there..."

"Very well," said Bryant. "You will need to use one of the canoes that the people at Crescent Lake use if you want to reach the volcano. I have prepared a letter with the royal seal of Cornelia asking that you be allowed to borrow a canoe."

"Did you know that we would be going there?" asked Garland.

"Yes. Cid had mentioned that in his note. Now, be careful. The heat will be horrendous. Be sure to bring plenty of water."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Seth said with a bow. "We will report back with our findings.

Garland and Seth left the throne room and headed to the market to buy supplies, thinking about the journey that lay ahead of them...


	7. A Foreign Concept

Seth and Garland had finished buying the supplies they needed for their journey to Mount Gulg and were on their way to leave Cornelia when they heard someone call out to them. Seth, recognizing the voice as Princess Sarah, turned around, and Garland did the same.

"Sir Seth! Sir Garland!" she said, out of breath from running after them. "I'm sorry to delay you, but I must ask Sir Seth something..."

"Is something wrong, Your Highness?" Seth asked, worried.

Sarah shook her head. "No, I was just wondering... Have you gotten any of your memories back?"

"No, I have not..." Seth replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"That's so sad... But know this: you will always have a home here in Cornelia, no matter what you remember, or if you ever even remember anything."

Seth was surprised at this display of kindness. He wasn't used to anyone besides Garland saying such things to him, and could only reply with stammered thanks.

Sarah smiled in response to Seth's nervousness and continued: "You know, Father really likes you. And I know that Sir Garland sees you as a good friend. Even though you haven't been in Cornelia all that long, you have many admirers. I guess people can sense your kindness."

Flustered, Seth averted his gaze, feeling as if his face was burning. "I... I do not know about that..."

"So Seth has admirers?" Garland asked, feeling some emotion that Seth noticed, but couldn't recognize. "What sorts of admirers?"

"Oh, just women from the castle. A few healers, some of the staff."

"Ah, those sorts of admirers..." Garland stated. "Seth, it seems you're popular with the ladies!"

"Truly? But why? And why would women like me more than men do?"

Sarah seemed dumbfounded by what Seth had just said, but before she could say any more, Garland spoke once more.

"We really need to get going. The three of us can get together and talk about these things later, all right?"

"All right then. Good luck, Sir Seth! And same for you, Sir Garland!" Sarah called as she left.

With that, Garland turned to Seth and said, "We need to talk about this...but we need to get far away from Cornelia first. I don't want Princess Sarah to overhear what we're talking about."

Seth wasn't quite sure what to think, but he nodded in agreement. The two knights headed to the docks to catch the next boat to the shores near Crescent Lake.

***

Seth was glad to get off of the boat. Garland had seemed to be deep in thought the entire time, and Seth had no intention of bothering him. Now that they were off the boat and away from the docks, Garland finally spoke up.

"Seth. I was wondering...do you truly not realize why women would like you in a different way and in different numbers than men?"

"No, I do not..." Seth replied, sensing that this was probably not the right answer.

Garland sighed. "I guess you don't know much about love, then. You seem awfully naive about love for a man your age..."

Seth was hurt by this comment. Garland had never said anything like that to him before. Seth's expression changed, but he didn't notice until Garland suddenly took on a horrified look in response.

"I'm truly sorry!" Garland said loudly. "I wasn't trying to insult you. I just...I'm no good with words, or with keeping my thoughts to myself. Besides, not knowing much about love means you must have a pure heart."

"I guess..." Seth said. "All I know about love is what I have read in those books of fairy tales in the barracks, and I do not believe that those would be an accurate source... But...what does love have to do with people liking me?"

"Well, most men don't fall in love with other men. It happens, but not as much as men falling in love with women - and vice versa. The way Princess Sarah used the word 'admirers' implied that the women she was talking about were in love with you."

"O-oh... I do not understand, though... What would they see in someone like me...?"

Garland smiled for the first time since the conversation with Sarah, which helped Seth feel more at ease.

"Well, you're kindhearted and gentle, and you are good-looking by society's standards."

Seth didn't agree with that, but he decided to keep quiet about those feelings - he didn't want his lack of self-esteem to be a burden to Garland. Instead, he said, "The sky is growing dark... We should set up camp and rest until morning. Then, we shall proceed to Crescent Lake."

"I agree. And one more thing, Seth... Sorry for worrying you."

"Ah, it is all right. Wait... How did you know?"

"I know most people can't tell what you're feeling, but I can. Your face doesn't change much, but your eyes and tone of voice do."

This was a new insight for Seth. Garland was a lot more perceptive than he had initially realized. 

"Thank you for caring enough to notice that, Garland."

"Of course, my friend. Now, we should get to setting up camp before it gets too dark."

The two set up their tents and bid each other good night. Seth fell asleep quickly, relieved that Garland seemed to feel better.


	8. Fears and Flames

Seth woke up early the next morning and sat by his tent, waiting for Garland to awaken. When the general did emerge, he looked ragged, as if he hadn't had enough sleep.

"What is wrong, Garland?" Seth asked, wondering what could have disturbed the other man so much.

Garland sighed. "I had a really bad nightmare..."

"What was it about?" the younger inquired, tilting his head slightly.

"I dreamed that I was fighting you... You were refusing to fight, and you kept saying you wanted to save me from darkness, but I attacked you anyway...and that is where it ended. It kept repeating in my mind over and over again... It worries me..."

A chill made its way through Seth's body. He had said that to Garland the first time they had fought. He worried that Garland might be regaining his memory. Nevertheless, Seth tried to keep his composure as he responded to his friend's fears.

"That must have been unnerving..." Seth said softly. "But do not worry - I know that it will never happen. It was a dream, and we are friends, so I am sure that everything will be all right."

Garland gave a tired smile. "Thanks, Seth. You're a big help. Now...we should probably go to Crescent Lake so that we can borrow that canoe."

Garland started to walk in the direction of the town, but Seth couldn't make himself follow. The mage twins, fellow Light Warriors Luke and Lyra, lived near Crescent Lake, and he worried about them noticing that he was there. Upon noticing that he was several steps ahead of Seth, Garland turned around, looking concerned.

"What's wrong? Aren't you gonna come with me?" he asked.

Seth hesitated, and then said, "Two of my former allies live near the lake... I really do not wish to be seen by them. I...am fearful that they are still upset with me."

Garland nodded. "I understand. I will come get you when I get the canoe. Until then, you should take a break."

Seth thanked Garland and watched as the dark-armored general headed off. He then sat down, having just felt a strange emotion that he couldn't quite name. He wished that he had gone with Garland, despite his fears. He didn't quite know why, but he felt safer - and happier - with the other man by his side. Seth decided to distract himself by packing up his and Garland's belongings while waiting for him to return. Just as Seth finished packing, Garland walked up to him, seeming as if he had good news.

"Seth! I got the canoe! We should probably get going to Mount Gulg."

Seth nodded. "Let us be going, then."

"I'll lead you to the canoe, then!" Garland said, obviously excited for the journey. "C'mon, Seth!"

***

As the two knights stepped off of the canoe onto the land near Mount Gulg, they immediately noticed the stifling heat. 

"Damn, it's so freaking hot!" Garland grumbled. 

"It is warmer than last time I was here..." Seth replied. "In addition, I sense an even greater darkness than that which was in the caverns..."

"Do you think there's something guarding this crystal, too...?" 

"I would not be surprised, with the level of darkness that I sense..." Seth said, massaging his temples to attempt to stave off the pain from the headache that had suddenly cropped up.

Garland noticed the look on Seth's face, and seemed concerned. "Hey, you don't look like you're feeling all that well. Is it the darkness?"

"Y-yes, it is. But please... Do not worry. I can still fight."

"All right, but let me know if you need rest, okay?"

"Of course. Thank you, Garland."

With that, the two stepped foot into the volcanic caves. Just like when they traveled to the caverns near Melmond, Seth led the way. Once more, it was silent - none of the usual monsters were present. The knights stopped every few turns to drink some water, hoping to stay hydrated. During one of these breaks, Seth spoke up...

"Garland, I remember seeing you use Firaga against the beast in the caverns, but...do you know any other spells? Fire will not work on anything we will encounter here..."

"Actually, I can use Blizzaga and Thundaga. Strangely, I can also use stronger spells like Cyclone and Tsunami. People always freak out when they learn that I can cast those. I've heard that only monsters could use those types of spells in the past..."

Seth sat in silence, not knowing how to respond. 

"Seth, I need to ask you... Do you think that I might actually be a fiend of some sort...? With those spells, my nightmares, and my immense strength, I can't help but worry that I'm not a man, but that I'm some sort of demon..."

"No, I do not think that at all!" Seth exclaimed. "You are my friend, and fiends cannot make true friends. You should not think so poorly of yourself."

Garland looked surprised. "I didn't realize that you'd feel so strongly... Sorry."

"It is fine. Do not worry about it."

Some time passed, and Seth stood and stored his canteen with his supplies. "Garland, the next big room we will arrive at is where the crystal of light was said to be located. A dark crystal might be there now, so prepare for battle."

"All right, Seth. Let's kick some monster tail!" cheered Garland, obviously feeling a bit better.

Garland and Seth made their way through the last few narrow pathways, wondering what they would see in that last room...


	9. A Strange Feeling

Garland and Seth walked into the final room of the volcanic caverns to find a large red dragon guarding a dark crystal. Before either of the two could say anything, the dragon attacked, breathing a fireball in Garland's direction. Seth quickly stepped in between Garland and the dragon, creating a wall of light to protect the other man. The fireball was split into embers upon hitting the luminous barrier, which seemed to enrage the dragon. 

"Great, we pissed it off," Garland said with a sigh. "What'll we do now?"

"I have an idea!" Seth exclaimed. "I will distract the dragon and you can use your spells on it."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Garland asked.

"Do not worry, I believe that this plan will work."

Seth then ran to the opposite side of the dragon and slashed at its leg with his blade. While the red-scaled fiend tried to attack Seth in retaliation, Garland sent a Blizzaga spell into the back of its head. Before it could change targets and go after Garland, Seth slashed at its other leg, keeping it from being able to chase either of them. As they kept this up, the dragon grew even angrier, and bit Seth's left arm.

"AH! Let go!" Seth cried out, trying to pull away.

Alarmed, Garland rushed over and cast a final icy spell, freezing the dragon's head. He then used his shape-shifting weapon's axe form to shatter the ice and decapitate the dragon. Its head and body disappeared in a flash, and Seth was freed from its jaws.

Seth turned towards Garland and smiled slightly. "Thank you for your assistance, Garland."

Garland could only reply with a surprised expression.

"What is it?" Seth inquired. "Is there something wrong?"

"N-no, it's just... I've never seen you smile before... I wasn't expecting it."

"Oh, I see," Seth stated. He wondered if his smile appeared odd or something, but didn't ask. But as he thought about this, Garland spoke once more, as if he was able to hear Seth's thoughts.

"You know, Seth... You have a nice smile. Very gentle. I like it."

Seth could feel his face turning red, and his heart began to race. He stared at Garland while trying to figure out why he felt this way, but couldn't come up with an answer. Instead, he decided to change the subject.

"I... I should probably destroy this dark crystal now..." 

Seth walked over to the dark crystal and shattered it with his sword. He then turned back towards Garland and nodded.

"It is gone now."

"Yeah, looks like we destroyed another one," Garland said. "We should return that canoe and head back to Cornelia. I'm sure that King Bryant will be glad to hear of our success."

"I agree. Let us be going now."

***

When Seth and Garland left Crescent Lake and arrived back in Cornelia, they were greeted once more by Princess Sarah. 

"Sir Seth! Sir Garland! You're back! ...and you both look singed..."

"We were at Mount Gulg fighting a huge dragon," Garland replied.

"That sounds dangerous..." Sarah uttered softly. "I'm glad the two of you are okay."

"Yeah, me too," said Garland. "Especially after that fiend bit Seth's arm..."

Sarah suddenly looked alarmed. "Sir Seth, let me see your arm."

Seth extended his left arm. "It is healing fine. Please, do not worry about me."

"It's hard not to, but I'll try. Anyway, I'll go tell Father that you both are back. The two of you should get some rest."

"All right, thanks!" Garland called out as Sarah left.

After a while, Seth asked Garland why Sarah seemed so concerned about his arm.

"I think she loves you," Garland replied. "She looks at you with such admiration..."

"Speaking of love...I have been feeling strange lately," Seth stated. "I want to know what this feeling means... Can you help?"

"I'll try, but I might not be of much assistance."

Seth sighed, and then began. "Lately, I have noticed times where I feel nervous and warm around...a certain person, and my heart races. And yet I wish to stay by that person's side and protect them with all of my strength. What is that?"

"Looks like you've fallen in love too," Garland said with a grin.

Seth was shocked. He now realized that his odd feelings around Garland were the same as those he often read about. Still, he felt too nervous to directly tell Garland exactly _who_ it was that he loved. He knew that he had to find another way.

"Um... Garland... Is there anyone that you love?" Seth asked.

"Nah, not that I can think of."

Seth felt disappointed. Still, he tried to hide that feeling and instead replied, "Well, I am sure that you will find someone soon."

Garland looked confused, but didn't ask anything. Instead, he said, "We should go home. The sun is going to set soon, and I miss my bed. Sleeping bags can't even compare!"

"Understandable. I would like to rest, too. We have had a long journey... Let us make haste."

With that, the two headed to Garland's house, not knowing what tomorrow would bring.


	10. Victor

The next morning, Seth woke up as early as always. He thought that things seemed eerily quiet - he could usually hear crickets at this time, but today, they weren’t chirping. Seth felt uneasy about this, and decided to step outside to check on things. As he walked towards the door, he was overcome by pain. 

Something was definitely wrong.

Seth pushed through the pain and opened the door to see a band of shadow creatures slowly moving towards Cornelia. In a panic, he rushed back into the house and pounded on Garland’s bedroom door. Garland opened the door shortly thereafter, looking extremely tired.

“Seth...? What’s going on?” he asked. “It’s rather early...”

“There are fiends moving towards the town! We need to wake the other knights and get rid of them!” Seth shouted worriedly. 

Garland suddenly looked quite alert. “I’m on it! Let me get my armor and my blade. Then, I’ll get the others. You check on the townspeople and guard them!”

Seth nodded, and ran outside and into the town. He rushed around Cornelia, advising people to lock and barricade their doors until everything was safe. He then stood at the town gate, waiting for the creatures to arrive. They eventually did, and the group was large. Seth drew his sword, readying himself for a fight. They charged at him in droves, but he was able to hold them off using spells and swordplay. Eventually, he was joined by the other knights, as well as a few armed townspeople who volunteered their blades. 

During the melee, Seth heard someone calling out that their friend was badly injured. He quickly arrived at the person’s side and noticed that it was a friend of Victor’s. 

“Please, stand back and allow me to heal him!” Seth called. He knelt by Victor and noticed that his side had a large gash in it. 

“I need cover!” Seth cried out. “I need to heal him now!”

Garland was within earshot, so he ran to Seth’s side to protect him while he healed Victor. Seth began to charge a healing spell.

“Cura!” he called, holding his hands over Victor’s wounded side. It didn’t seem to do much. Seth tried again and again, but his spell wasn’t strong enough to heal the massive wound in Victor’s side. Still, he kept trying.

“...Seth.” Victor said weakly. “It’s okay. You don’t need to waste energy on me, especially after how I treated you.”

“That is not true. Everyone deserves a chance!” Seth replied.

“You are far too kind, but don’t let the world take that from you. If you could attempt to help me after all I’ve done, then you truly are a good person. I’m sorry for all I said about you.”

“I am not upset with you, but you must hang in there! Please do not die!” Seth cried out. 

Victor gave a small smile. “I’m sorry, but I can’t stay long. Thanks for trying, Seth... You are...a modern day Warrior of Light...”

Seth started to object, but Victor was already dead. Just then, the last shadow creature was slain.

***

After the cleanup from the fight, Seth sat on a bench near the town gates, his head in his hands. He didn’t notice Garland approaching him until the general spoke.

“I’m sorry about what happened, Seth.”

Seth looked up. “...I failed to protect everyone...”

“You tried your hardest, Seth. I know you did,” Garland protested. 

“I should have learned Curaga,” replied Seth, shaking his head. “I should have been stronger. Then, he would be alive still.”

Garland sat on the other end of the bench. “I know you wish to protect others, but you can’t think you failed because someone died. I hate to say it, but you can’t save everyone.”

“You may be right, but I wanted to try anyway.”

They sat in silence for a while, neither knowing what to say. The silence continued until they were approached by a messenger. 

“Sorry for the bad timing, sirs, but I have a message from some guy named Cid,” stated the messenger, handing Garland an envelope.

“We are needed in the Sunken Shrine... Where the hell is that?” asked Garland.

Seth sighed. “We need to go to Onrac. The way to the shrine is there. We might need to destroy another Dark Crystal, so we should prepare.”

After he finished speaking, Seth stood and began to walk towards the shops. Garland jumped up and followed him.

“Are you going to be all right? You rest if you want,” said Garland. 

“I will be fine. We need to hurry. People are depending on us.”

Garland looked concerned, but stayed quiet and followed Seth to the shops.


End file.
